Circuit-breaker apparatus



4 8 5, l, S ls m N N E l... a o.

Oct. 23, 1928.

CIRCUIT BREAKER APPARATS Filed Aug. 6, 1927 ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 23, `1928.

narranv STATES PATENT oFFlcE.

OLIVER S. JENNINGS, OFKMANSFIELD, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION PENNSYLVANIA.

CIRCUIT-BREAKER APPARATUS.

application Elea August s,

My invention relates to circuit breaker apparatus and particularly to circuit breaker apparatus wherein a disconnect switch serves to disconnect a circuit breaker, auto-starter or contactor switch, from the feed conductors, and wherein intel-locked mechanism is provided for preventing opening-of the dis-- connecting switch prior to the opening of the circuit breaker devices.

An object of my invention is to provide a circuit breaker apparatus, wherein a. snap acti-on disconnecting switch l is interlocked with the relay or controlling coil of a circuit breaker prior to the opening movement of the disconnecting switch.

Another object of my invention is to pro-- vide circuit breaker apparatus having the above-noted characteristics, wherein a. standard snap action or quick break disconnecting switch is provided 'Withan auxiliarycontrol switch that is'actuated to cause operation of the circuit breaker trip relay to open the circuit breaker, and wherein the operating means for the disconnecting' switch so controls the auxiliary control switch, that it causes the circuit breaker toopen in advance of the movement of the operating means of the disconnecting switch to the Aposition in which it releases the disconnecting switch.

A further object of my invention is to provide a circuit breaker apparatus, wherein standard quick break snap action disconnecting switches may be provided with a simple auxiliary control switch that may be mounted within the housing for the disconnecting -f switch, and which is actuated by the operating handle ofthe disconnecting switch.

These and other objects that will be. made apparent throughout the further description of my invention, are obtained oy-means of the apparatus hereinafter described and 4illustrated in the accompanying drawings, where- Figure 1 is a plan view of ak standard snap action. disconnecting switch having a portion of the cover broken away to expose the auxiliai-v switch, y i

*ig.-.2"isva. Side elevational view of the disconnecting switch shown in Fig. 1, show- .ing a portion ot'v the handle in'section and` the snap-action operating mechanism for the disconnecting switch in side elevation, and.

Fig. 3 is a Wiring 'diagram showing the manner in which the disconnecting switch is connected with the circuit breaker.

1927. Serial No. 211,035.

Referring to the drawings, the apparatus includes a sheetm'etal housing 4 havinga hinged cover 5 kfor enclosingthe switch mechanism which includes an insulating base 6, upon which hingevjaws 7 ot' a' disconnectingswitch are mounted. Switch blades 8 are pivoted to the hinge jaws 7 and are adapted to engage contact jaws 9 mounted on the base 6. An operating lever or bail 11 is connected to the switchblade 8 b v means of insulating arms 12 thatare riveted to the switch blade 8 and which are provided with openings for receiving the bent portion of the bail 11. This construction ofldisconnccting switch is well-known in the art, and it is believed that further description thereof is unnecessary.

The switch operating bail 111 y extends through a `bearing opening 13 in a. side wall ot thehousing, the operating handle an actuating mechanism being supported upon the extending portion 14 of thebail in a manner to be hereinafter described. y

The switch operating meclianism'herein illustrated is substantially identical to the operatingfmechanism disclosed in Patent No. 1,606,801, issued to Hubert K. Krantzfiled Septen'iber 25, 1924, and no claim is made to the specific disconnecting switchor oper-` ating mechanism which `is hereinafter described.v l

rPhe operating handle 15 is hollow-and made of cast -metal and is `pivoted upon the bail extension 14,. and is relatively rotatable thereon. A driving dog v16 is fixed to the bail end 14 and is ,provided with va ypair of pins 17 and 18, that extend into arcuate slots 19 and 21 of a cani plate 22, that is. disposed ends 26 and 27 ofthe slots 19 and 21,respeci* tively, withthe pins 18 and 17, respectively, The movement of the cam plate S22 is further limited by the shoulders 28 and Q9 on. theenlarged portion of the cam plate which engage shoulders 3,1 and 32 of the operating handle.

A stud 33 that is attached tothe sidewall of the housing, projects through the'notches los zoA

19 and 21 in the cam plate, and serves to prevent rotary driving movement of the cam plate until the point 34 on the cam plate passes the center ot' the stud 33.

It will be understood that it is the function of the cam plate to rotate the dog 16 through the medium of the pins 17 and 18, and the ends of the slots 27 and 26, respectively, after the operating handle 15 has moved the point 34 of the cam plate past the center of the stud 33. As shown in Fig. 2, the parts of the switch mechanism are in the closed position. To open the switch, the operating handle is rotated counter-clockwise. The spring 23 tends to rotate the cam plate 22 coluder-clockwise, but this movement oi' the cam plate is prevented by reason ot the engagement of the cam surface 35 with the stud 33. Since the curvature of the cam edge 35 is concentric to the pin 17011 the dog 16, the cam plate will rotate counter-clockwise about a center coincident with the pin 17 without exerting any tendency to move the pin 17 or the dog 16. The springy 23 will be expanded during this operation and no movementof the cam plate, tending to move the pin 17, will occur until they point 24 ot the cam has passed the center of the stud it tliistime, the center of the operat ing handle 15 will occupy the position A. indicated in dot and dash lines. Immediately after the point 24 passes the center of the stud 33, the spring will draw the cam plate toward the outer end of the handle, thus rotating the cam plate 22 counter-clockwise vwith a snap action,l and drawing the pin 15 and the dog 16 with it, turning them counter-clockwise and thus causing the switch to open with a snap action. The operating handle 15 will then occupy theposition B shown in dot and dash lines.

In order to close the switch, the operat ing hand-le is rotated clockwise. Closing movement of the switch will be arrested by the cam edge 36, which corresponds to the cam edge 35, until the point 24 passes the center' ot' the stud 33. The curvature oat the cam edge 3G lis concentric with the center of the pin "18 and, consequently, the same cam plate action will result as previously described, except that its movement will be in the reverse direction. After the cam point 24 has passedl the center of the stud 33, the cam plate will rotate in a clockwise'dire@ tion with a snap action, drawing with it the pin 1S and the dog 1G, thus causing the switch to be closed with a snap act-ion after the handle has moved a predetermined distance 'toward closed position. The operation of the mechanism justdescribcd is fully set forth in the above-noted patent, andy it is believed that no further description of the mechanism is required.

lThe apparatus just described is a standard snap action, quick make and quick break disconnecting switch of the enclosed type. Such switches are commonly used to disconnect the lfeed conductors from a circuit breaker. It is essential that ,the circuit breaker be opened priorto the opening of the disconnecting switch, for the reason that the disconnecting switch is not usually designed to interrupt the large capacity circuits.

Circuit breakers are better adapted to inu terrupt the circuit under full load, and theretore should be opened in advance of the disconnecting switch. The purpose of the disconnect-ing switch is to disconnect the circuit breaker from the feed conductors, in order that the circuit breaker may be isolated from the line and. live conductors when it is desii-ed to inspect or repair it.

Rcferringto F ig. 3, the circuit breaker 37,

for the purposeot illustration, is provided 'with a holding coil or relay 38 that retains the circuit breaker in closed position so longl as current is supplied to the holding coil. lVhen the circuit is interrupted, a spring 39 causes the circuitbreaker to open by collapsing the'toggle 41. The disconnecting switchblades 8 are connected in series with the circuit breaker 37, and an auxiliary control swtch 42 serves to control the c ircuit through the holding coil 38. When the disconnecting switch is connected to a circuit breaker that is-retained in closed position. by a latch, the auxiliary switch is connected in the usual trip coil circuit.

In my present invention, it is an object to so interlock the auxiliary switch 42 with the operating means of the disconnecting switch, that thel switch 42 will be caused to open prior to the opening operation of the disconnecting switch.

The auxiliary control switch 42 is pivotally mounted on the side wall ot' the housing andv is adapted to engage contacts 43 and 44 when rotated. T he switch 42 is provided with a shaft 45 which extends through the side wall of the housing and is provided with an operating lever 4,6 that is adapted to en age the operating handle 15 as indicated in ig. 2. A.. spring 47 is attached at one end to the side wall oi the housing, and at the other end to the lever 46 in such manner that it non mally tends to rotate the switch 42 counterclockwiseto open, position. i

As shown in. Fig. 2, the operating'handle 15 is in the closed position and is holding the switch, 42 in closed position by reason of the engagement of the handle l5 with the lever 46. lThe arrangement of the auxiliary switch 42 and the lever 46 is such that the operating handle will permit the spring 47 to pen the switch 42 when the operating handle l15 has been rotated to the position() indicated in dot and dash `lines in Fig. 2.

Vhen the switch 42 has opened the control circuit through the coil 38, the circuit breaker will open. It will be noted that the opening of the auxiliary switch occurs prior to the opening of the disconnecting switch blades 8, since the disconnecting switch will not be snapped lopen until the operating handle has reached the position A.

By reason oi' the construction just described, it will not be possible to open the disconnecting switch wit-hout first having caused the circ-uit breaker to open. rIhe circuit breaker will be automatically opened when the operating handle has been moved to the position C. Therefore, the circuit breaker will be fully open before the operating handle has reached the position A.

Since the holding coil cannot be energized without first closing the auxiliary switch 42,

the circuit breaker cannot be closed until the disconnecting switch has been closed. It will be understood that when the operating handle of the disconnect switch is moved to closed position, it will cause the switch blades 8 to be snapped to closed position prior to closing of the holding coil. The disconnecting switch will, therefore, be closed prior to the'closing of acircuit breaker and, therefore, there is no danger of the circuit breaker being closed in advance of the closure of the disconnecting switch. A push button switch 48 is connected in the control circuit for normally-controlling the operation of the circuit breaker.

While I have illustrated but one embodiment of my invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions, additions and omissions may bey made in the apparatus illustrated Without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination with a switch having means for actuating it to open position with a snap action after the operatingv mechanism has moved to a predetermined position, of

e control switch retained in one of its positions by the operating mechanism and adapted to be moved to another position to cause actuation of a cutout device, in advance of the movement of the operating mechanism to the said predetermined position.

2. The combination with a switch having means for actuating it to open position with a snap action after the operating mechanism has moved to apredetermined position, of a control switch yieldingly biased to one of its operating positions and retained in-its other operating position lby the said operating mechanism and adapted to be moved by the biasing means to the first operating position in advance of the movement of the operating mechanism to the said predetermined position.

3. The combination with a snap action switch having a power storing means for opening the switch with a snap action actuated by an operating means and having means for releasing the switch for actuation by the power storing means when the operating means has moved to a predetermined position, of a control switch for a relay controlled by the operating means and adapted to be actuated `to an operativeposition for causing actuation of the relay in advance of the movementofthe operating means to the said predetermined position.

4. The combination with a switch provided with an operating means and having means for actuating' it to open position with a snap action after the operating means has moved to a predetermined position, of a control switch for a relay controlled by the operating means and adapted to be actuated toanop-` erative position for causing actuation of the relay in advance of the movement of the operating means to the said predetermined position. i

' In 'testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 1st day of August,

OLIVER S. JENNINGS.

ssi 

